By: Richard L. Smith
An Essex County jury has found an Irvington man guilty of murder in the 2023 fatal shooting of a longtime acquaintance following an argument over money, according to information released by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II announced that on July 8, 2026, a jury convicted 46-year-old Emmanuel Edmundson of first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a handgun, and second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
According to prosecutors, the shooting occurred on the night of September 29, 2023, outside 201 Columbia Avenue in Irvington.
Authorities said Edmundson approached 46-year-old Enrique Riveros, who was described as his friend, before the two became involved in a brief dispute over money.
During the confrontation, prosecutors said Edmundson pulled out a handgun and fired several shots at close range, striking Riveros in the head and abdomen. Riveros died from his injuries at the scene.
Investigators said an eyewitness immediately called 911 and helped responding officers locate and arrest Edmundson a short distance away.
During the trial, the defense argued that Edmundson was too intoxicated at the time of the shooting and suffered from a mental illness that prevented him from understanding his actions.
Prosecutors countered that claim with expert testimony from a psychiatrist, who testified that Edmundson acted knowingly and intentionally during the killing.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Austin Edwards and William Chalmers before Superior Court Judge Naazneen Khan.
Edmundson is scheduled to be sentenced on September 14, 2026. He faces a potential prison sentence ranging from 30 years to life under New Jersey law.